University funding review

Commenting on the Prime Minister’s announcement of a review of university funding, Acting Director of the Russell Group Dr Tim Bradshaw said:

“Funding levels are linked directly to the ability of universities to provide a high-quality learning experience for students. The current system has allowed our members to invest £1.85bn over the last five years in new facilities that are benefitting students starting their courses this autumn. They have boosted spending on teaching staff and resources and are helping more young people than ever before access higher education.

“We need a university funding system that is sustainable. One that is fair to students, to the taxpayer and to universities. The UK needs to be ambitious in continuing to develop its world-class higher education offer and so we look forward to engaging fully with the review announced by the Prime Minister this afternoon.”

Ends

Notes to Editors:

Economic research, carried out by BiGGAR Economics ,looked at planned spending by the 24 Russell Group Universities between 2012/13 to 2016/17. It found that Russell Group universities will spend more than £9 billion on capital projects over this period, a similar amount to that spent on the Olympics or the Government’s current railway investment programme.